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17-12-2013

ARA News

Tel Temir, Qamishli, Syria− Islamist fighters and groups affiliated with the rebel forces of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) reportedly detained a number of Kurdish residents in the city of Tel Temir, northeast Syria, for alleged ties with the Kurdish Popular Protection Units (YPG) −armed wing of the Democratic Union Party (PYD).

Detention and abduction of Kurdish civilians led hundreds of families to leave their homes, escaping the increased security vacuum in north-eastern Syria, to resort to neighbouring countries looking for safe haven and to avoid arbitrary practices of the armed groups.

Yehia Qasim and Abdulsalam Ahmed were among those captured by the FSA-linked group near Kersek village, west of Tel Temir.

After three months of detention, Yehia was released.

“We have suffered the most under hard detention conditions. Different kinds of torture were practiced by our jailers,” said Yehia in a talk with ARA News. “I was constantly asked to praise Islam and repeat Islamic sayings ‘before being executed’, but luckily it didn’t happen as they (FSA-linked fighters) finally said that I’m innocent of the accusations directed to me.”

Yehia was released about three weeks ago in al-Hawl area, near Shaddadeh village in al-Hasakah province.

“Unfortunately, Abdulsalam who was with me in detention is not released, along with dozens of other innocent detainees who are suffering under torture in Islamists’ prisons,” he added.

On the other hand, the Kurdish Asayish −security arm of the PYD− questions any former detainees by Islamist groups. Among others, Yehia was arrested by the Asayish in Tel Temir for two weeks.

Islamist fighters and groups claim affiliation with FSA detained hundreds of Kurdish residents northeast of Syria over the last few months under the pretext of ties with the Kurdish YPG forces −who are in conflict with Islamist armed groups since more than 10 months for domination in Syria’s Kurdish region.